Northeast Kansas law enforcement agencies move to encrypt radio broadcasts

LYON COUNTY (KSNT) - Several law enforcement agencies located in Lyon County are preparing to encrypt their radio broadcasts starting next month.

The Lyon County government announced in a press release on social media on June 25 that law enforcement agencies within the county will align with an FBI policy regarding their radio broadcasts. This will impact the following agencies and organizations:

• Lyon County Emergency Communications
• Lyon County Sheriff's Office
• Emporia Police Department
• City of Emporia
• Lyon County
• Emporia State University Police and Safety

This change in policy is being mandated by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS). This means criminal history records, social security numbers and addresses are considered criminal justice information protected from the public eye. The Lyon County government expects this will help protect people from suffering the effects of identity theft and personal information breaches.

"We acknowledge that many of our citizens rely on radio broadcasts to stay informed about law enforcement activities and understand the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with our community. While this security change may affect the dissemination of certain information, our commitment to transparency and public safety remains unwavering. We will explore alternative means of communication to keep our community informed while ensuring compliance with the updated security policy."

Lyon County Government

The change will become active starting Monday, July 8. On this date, all law enforcement channels operated by the above agencies will be encrypted.

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